Davids Learning, Commentary 5 · Commentary 3
I acknowledged my sinne, neither hid I mine iniquitie.]
HEre is Dauids confession it selfe; he did not resolue, & suffer his resolution to dye, but he said he would confesse, and confessed: but many are of another spirit, they resolue, professe, promise, 1. Tim. 1. 13. Paul saith of himselfe, I was a Blasphemer, a Persecuter, an Oppresser, but I was receiued to MercieMercy: Here were three heinous degrees of sinne; the sight of which made him confesse himselfe the chiefe of all sinners, verse 15. and made him admire and magnifie the MercieMercy of God, who vouchsafed so aboundant grace to such a desperate wretch as hee vvas: and of this kinde are the confessions of all the godly.
The Reasons of this point are very good:
First, a Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of grace, whichReason 1.
First, worketh alike against all sinne: and he that hath grace to confesse one sinne aright, by the same grace confesseth all; he that truely hateth one sinne, truely hateth all; If a man truely feele the weight of one, it makes him grone vnderunder the burthen of all much more. For all sinnes are of the same nature, so as repentance cannot be sound, if any one sinne be laid hold on; which made our Prophet, being humbled for one, to repent of all. Thus also doe the Israelites in their conuersion, 1. Sam. 12. 19. Pray for thy Seruants (said they to Samuel) that we dye not: for wee hauehave sinned in asking vsus a King, besides all our other sinnes.
Secondly, the grace of sound conuersion suffereth not starting holes and hollownesse in the soule, but worketh it to sinceritie: Now the sincere heart deales truely betweene God and it selfe; it knowes that God loues trueth in the inward parts, therefore it will confesse fully and frankely vvithout hiding or lessening any sinne. Againe, it knowes that God loues a free-will offering, and therefore it will offer a free and heartie confession, and there can bee no better signe of sinceritie then this.
Thirdly, sound grace is an open enemie, and at warre with all sinne, especially the sinne which is next it, and will not spare to disgrace it by all meanes; it vvill shew true hatred against it, that if confession will discouer the loathsomenesse of sinne, it will not bee nice in it, but bring it into discredit with it selfe. And where grace is more abundant, there is more abundant sense of sin, and this sense brings abundance of words like so many swords and weapons against it, eueryevery one expressing greater hatred of it then other as Dauids words here.
Secondly, another Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of sinne, which, first, is a debt as we hauehave heard; 2.a debt which is impossible that euer we should bee able to pay; this debt stands vponupon our heads in Gods debtbooke: Now it vvill not stand with an honest disposition to deny or seeke to out-face or lessen a due debt to any man, and much lesse will it stand with a godly disposition to deny or conceale our debts to God, with whom wee cannot play false if we would. And therefore it is as little as a man of a broken heart can doe, to goe to the Creditor, and in humilitie confesse the debt, and craue pardon and forgiuenes: So Christ our Lord hath taught vsus to pray, Forgiue vsus our debts, which implyes confession. And Dauid prayes the Lord to blot out all his sins; wherein hee secretly confesseth, that hee hath a large score in Gods booke, which he is vtterly vnable euer to satisfie.
Secondly, sinne is a loathsome filthinesse and vn cleannesse, and a good heart is ashamed of eueryevery nakednesse of the Soule, which it sees Gods eye to bee vponupon: and, because it knowes that the next way to couer this nakednesse, is to vncouer it (as the whole experience of Dauid in this Psalme teacheth,) it labours by confession to couer all, whereof it is or may be ashamed: and indeede all true confession must proceede from the shame and confusion of face for sinne.
Thirdly, sinne is a gash or wound in the soule: and a man hauing many wounds or diseases, seekes the cure of them all, howsoeuer of the greatest first and soonest, yet he neglecteth none, because the least of them is dangerous and painefull: so it is in sinne, the confession of which is as the laying open of a sore, that the plaister may bee fitly laid on: a man that would hauehave all cured, will not hide any, but vncouer euen the least.
Thirdly, God will hauehave his children in some measure 3.like himselfe herein and resemble his owne image, that, as hee esteemes of sinne, not as a light or small thing, but the most vile and odious thing in all the world, and so hee euer speakes of it and carries himselfe to it: so shall his children in their measure: and for this purpose
First, he vsually putteth forth his worke of iustice, and layeth an heauy hand on the soule (as on Dauid here) &, when the eye of the soule beholdeth the Lord frowning vponupon it without, and the conscience within accusing, then shall nothing be small, little sinnes shal be counted great enough: that which Satan did extenuate, to make it as small as a graine, and as light as a feather, shall now swel thicker then the Mountaines, and seeme heauier then al the sands of the Sea.
Secondly, the Lord will hauehave his children to know the price and worth of merciemercy, before he bestow it vponupon them; hee will make them hunger and thirst after it aboue all desires, hee will hauehave them to see their sinnes in as hatefull and ougly a visage as may be: for the more the sight of sinne is, the more earnest is the desire of merciemercy.
Thirdly, God will teach his children, in the serious acknowledging of their sinne, so much the more to glorifie himselfe: For, the more wee confesse our owne basenesse and vilenesse by sinne, the more wee magnifie the power and goodnesse of God in pardoning the same.
First then, this serues to confute the wicked doctrine Use 1.of the Church of Rome, taught and defended at this day, concerning merits and supererrogations, which most diametrally opposeth it selfe to all this doctrine of sound confession, whereas the Parable, Math. 18. 27. shewes that the master must forgiue all the debt, or els nothing but perpetuall prison is to be expected.
Secondly, this reprooues the confessions of mostmen, which are in grosse and in generall: They are sinners as Use 2.other men bee, without any touch or feeling of particular sinnes; which, though it be taken for a sufficient confession, yet indeede is such as the vilest Atheist may performe; nay I say, a reprobate and cast-away, that shall neuer be saued, shall doe this and more, as wee may see in the examples of Cain, Pharaoh, and Iudas, who came to particulars in their confessions, and so goe farre beyond these men. Nay, numbers of these, that poste off their sinnes in the lumpe, with such slubberd confessions, cannot tell wherein they hauehave particularly offended. Yea if they were examined, they would make you beleeue they had kept all the Commandements of God. If thy body vvere sicke to death, and the Phisician came, it would not content thee to tell him thou art sicke, and no more; but thou wouldst shew him thy particular griefe and disease, with the speciall manner and circumstances of it: and this must thou doe also by all possible meanes, before thou carrie away the cure of thy sin, and be restored to spirituall soundnesse.
Thirdly, contrarie to this sound confession, are many other vile practices of men, who are in louelove with their Vse 3.sinnes:
First, such there bee in the world, that hood-winke themselues, and would rather lose both their eyes, then with either of them see the foulenesse of their sinnes; they wil smother the checkes, and stifle the voice of their own consciences; they follow their sports, their pastimes, their merry company, and take any course to thrust away the remembrance of their sinne by any meanes possible; but alas! they returne againe, because the guilt remaines: how should a man repent of that sinne, which hee will not see, lest he should sorrow? small is the ease and comfort that a poore fellon gets against the sentence of execution, by shutting his eares lest he should heare it; he were madde, if he should thinke to scape hanging by so doing; his onelyonly way were to humble himselfe and begge pardon.
Secondly, others there bee, that can sport themselues with their sinnes, and boast of them; and this is as if a thiefe should boast of his robberies: here is a confession of them, but such as is the committing of the same ouer againe; for there wants nothing but the same opportunitie againe, seeing there is the same affection.
Thirdly, others can iustifie and defend, yea patronize and plead for their owne sinnes, and others, by writing, preaching, example, and countenance: What saith one? I am not alone, I hauehave company, I louelove not to be singular, I do but as others doe; it is the fashion to sweare, at least by faith and troth, and not to doe it, were to be out of fashion; I hope, if I neuer do worse to doe well enough, I hope God is not so straite-laced as you bee. And some are not ashamed (if they be put in minde of themselues, and bee rebuked for their swearing, drunkennesse, or pride) to say, What neede you care? you shall not answere for my sinnes, you hauehave enough of your owne to care for: all who must know, that their case is most fearefull: for
First, an euill and a naughty heart it is, that can cloake and excuse sinne, and farre from true humiliation, as may Danger of hiding or lessening sinne.appeare in Saul, who in stead of aggrauating his sinne, found out many excuses, The people did it, and, It is to offer sacrifice to the Lord, 1. Sam. 15. such is the power of corruption, which we sucked from our first Parents: the Serpent, saith one; the Woman, saith the other, gaue it me: as though they had reason so to doe.
Secondly, it is a most dangerous case to lessen a mans owne sinne: for it suffers him not to see his misery, hee takes himselfe to be in good case, and to stand in neede of no repentance. For such Christ came not, Math. 9. 12. they be whole men, and neede not the Phisician: But I pray you, is not that the most dangerous sicknesse of all, when a man hath no feeling of his sicknesse?
Thirdly, it is a signe, that such a man lyes vnderunder a seuere iudgement of God, seeing the onelyonly way not to be iudged of the Lord, is to iudge our selues, 1. Cor. 11. 31. Nay it is a thing to be obserued, that euen when the sentence is euen comming out against the wicked, then will they excuse their sinnes: Math. 25. 44. Lord, when saw wee thee hungry, or thirsty, or in prison, or naked, and ministred not to thee? and presently these shall goe into euerlasting paine.
Fourthly, how vnlike are these men vntounto God, who sets out sinne in a most odious sort? how vnconformable to Gods Law, that sets an eternall curse vponupon the head of the least sinne? how farre from the disposition of the godly, who thinke nothing so vile and hatefull as sinne? And how seruiceable to Satan, whose trade is to aduance sinne and colour it?
Fourthly, this teacheth vsus to reuerence that ministrie, which would set our sinnes distinctly before vsus, which Use 4.helpes vsus to sound confession and remission: A necessary doctrine; because, as men naturally louelove nothing better then their sinnes, so they can abide nothing lesse then the discouerie of them: Hence Ahab hates Micaiah, for hee neuer prophecyeth good; that is, he dealt plainely without flatterie; hence the world hated Christ, because hee testified of it that her workes were euill. So, many now a dayes are discontented, The Preacher is too peremptorie, some say too sawcy and busie, and takes too much vponupon him, what neede he speake of such and such things? certainely hee receiues information, and opens it in the Pulpit; he is euer in the Law, and bindes me too hard; I would thinke his feete beautifull, if hee would bring tidings of peace. But here is a man loth to know himselfe and his sinnes, and farre from holy Dauids minde, who saith, Let the righteous smite me, for that is a precious oyle, Psal. 141. 5. he desires as in Zach. 1. 11. that all the world might be still and at rest, and neuer a Trumpet, or voice like a Trumpet to waken it, to shew the people their transgressions, and the house of Iaacob their sinnes.
These men say to the Ministers, as the Sodomites did to Lot, Shall hee iudge and rule? Gen. 19. 9. and as Corah and his complices said to Moses and Aaron, Yee take too much vponupon you, Numb. 16. 3. therefore come, let vsus breake their bonds in sunder, and cast away their cords from vsus, Psal. 2. 3.
But know whosoeuer thou art, that thou must looke for no peace by vsus, till thou warrest with thy sinnes: Shall wee preach merciemercy to thee, that feelest no neede of merciemercy? Shall we cast a pearle to a swine? Thou that art of the frozen generation, that needest a Boanerges, a sonne of thunder, why expectest thou a Bar-Ionah? VntoUnto the Horse belongs a whip, and to the Asse a bridle, and a rod to a Fooles back, prou. 26. 3. Wert thou an humble soule, and hungry after Christ, then our word would be as good newes out of a farre countrey, Prou. 25. 25. but till thy wound be lanced, and the core thrust out, wise Surgeons will neuer powre in oyle; doe thou let the plough of the Law breake vp thy fallow ground, and then blame vsus if wee bring not the seede of the Gospell.
Now followes the fourth point in Dauids confession, the manner of it. First, in respect of God: Secondly, of himselfe. For the first: First, hee will confesse before the Lord, and make his sinne knowne to him: Secondly, he will not hide it; the one amplifying the other, as it is also in these phrases. Thou shalt dye, and not liue, Iohn confessed and denyed not; so here, I made knowne, and hid not; the doubling of the phrase shewes, that hee doubled not, but did that he did to the purpose.
In that Dauid saith, hee will confesse vntounto the Lord: Doctr.note, that all true confession of sinne must be made vntounto All sound confession of sin must be made vntounto God.God. So Psal. 51. 4. Against thee, against thee onelyonly hauehave I sinned.
And what is the reason hereof?
First, because it is God, that is most offended with Reas. 1.sinne, his Law is transgressed, his displeasure incurred, and his reuenge prouoked; and what reason hauehave I to confesse a debt to him, to whom I owe nothing? God is the partie offended, therefore I must go to him alone.
Secondly, he onelyonly can properly forgiue sinne: Who 2.is a God like vntounto thee, that passest by the sinnes of thy people, saith the holy man? The Iewes that were blind in many things, yet could see well enough, that onelyonly God could forgiue sinnes: and indeede who can remit a debt, but he to whom it is due? therefore S. Iohn saith, If we confesse our sinne, he is faithfull to forgiue vsus, Chap. 1. 1, 9.
Thirdly, confession is a part of prayer and diuine worship, whereof it is said, My glory I will giuegive to none other. 3.Isa. 41. 8.
Fourthly, this is manifest by the sence of such as truely confesse, who need many compassions; but, great are 4.thy tender mercies, O Lord, Psal. 119. 156. and hee is rich in mercy, Ephes. 2. 4. All the merciemercy that can come from Man or Angell, is but a poore merciemercy, a little merciemercy, which can doe no good to the satisfying of the debt, or cancelling the bond. Men and Angels are but children, in whom are drops onelyonly, but God is the Father of mercies, in whom is the sea and seate of merciemercy.
But how can a man make his sinnes knowne to God Quest. 1.by confession, seeing he knowes them before?
First, it pleaseth God so to speake of himselfe, and to Answ.suffer vsus to speake of him, as wee our selues are capable. Thus he brings himselfe in, like an earthly Iudge; who, though he know the facts of the prisoners, yet seemes for the orderly course of iustice not to know them: as Gen. 18. 21. Come, Let vsus goe downe and see, if it be according to the cry of Sodome: how can hee goe downe, who is eueryevery where? and how can hee but see, who is all an eye? but thus hee speakes after the manner of men. So he saith to Abraham, Now I know thou louest me, who sparedst not thine onelyonly Sonne for mee. God knew Abrahams louelove to him before, but now Abraham knoweth, that God knowes it.
Secondly, men are said to hide their sinne, when they seeke to extenuate or lessen, or conceale any necessarie circumstance of it: or seeke colours and shifts, that it should not bee presented naked and bare as it is, in the Lords sight: and then it is said to bee hid from God, not that it is so indeede, (for it is so much the more manifest to God:) but because it is so in the corrupt iudgement of the sinner; which folly soone tooke hold of Adam after his fall, who thought himselfe well hid from God with trees, and his sinne with leaues.
But seeing God knowes all so well, why must we confesse Quest. 2.to him?
First, not to make God know any thing which hee Answ. 1.knowes not, but hee will hauehave vsus performe homage and duety to him, as an absolute Lord, and soueraigne Iudge. So Ioshua said to Achan; My sonne, confesse, and giuegive glory to God, Iosh. 7. 19.
Secondly, that our selues may take better knowledge of our sinnes, and humble our hearts in the sight and 2.sense of them.
Thirdly, because this is a meanes, in which himselfe will be found mercifull, and which he hath appointed for 3.vsus to attaine ease and comfort by: wee must take Dauids course here, if we would obtaine an happy discharge of sinne, as he did.
But was not Dauid farre ouerseene, to confesse onelyonly Quest. 3.to God? Why did hee not goe to the Priest, and tell all his sinnes in his eare?
Auricular confession of all a mans sinnes in the eare of Answ.a Priest, as necessarie to saluation, was not knowne in Non dico confitearis conseruo tuo qui exprobret, sed dicito Deo qui sanat, Chrysost. in Psalm. 50.Dauids time: besides, he knew he had not sinned against the Priest, and therefore he cared not for his forgiuenes; it was not the Law or bond of any Priest that hee had broken, and therefore what had he to do to forgiue him?
Doe you then condemne all confession of man to man? Doeth not S. Iames say, chap. 5. 18. Confesse one to Obiect.another.
We allow confession of sinnes to men: First, publike: Answ.Secondly, priuate: in sundry cases. Publike confession, thus
First, for the setting vp of Gods glory, with the shame 1.of a mans selfe. Thus did the holy Pen-men of the Scriptures, Cases of publike Confession to men.writing of themselues, proclaime their owne sinnes to all the world, that God might thereby bee glorified, and his Church edified. And Gods speciall prouidence hath detected in sundry persons those sinnes, which they hauehave kept close by them, and forced them by a free confession vntounto men, to glorifie God, as may be seene in Achans example. Gehazi, not confessing his sinne vponupon examination of his Master, to whom God had detected him, was stricken with Leprosie: Ananias and Saphyra with death: Ionas by his confession to the Mariners, glorified God; and the fruit was, They feared God exceedingly.
Secondly, men must sometimes publikely confesse 2.their sinne vntounto men, for the good of the Church; as, when Christians hauehave publikely offended the Church of God, they are to giuegive publike satisfaction by open and free confession: for hereby
First, the truth of their Repentance is testified.Benefits of publike confession to men, foure.
Secondly, Gods mercy is publikely implored by the whole Church, which is forceable.
Thirdly, a whole Congregation is instructed, and warned to take heede of like sinnes.
Fourthly, the louelove of Gods people is notably confirmed againe to the party. VponUpon such a publike confession and humiliation, was the Incestuous person receiued in againe, 2. Cor. 2. 6. it is sufficient, that the same man was rebuked of many: and Act. 19. 18. it is recorded of the beleeuers of Ephesus, that being stricken with a great feare, they came and confessed their workes before the multitude. It is much to bee desired, that this publique confession, being an ordinance of Iesus Christ, were more practised in eueryevery congregation, then it is, or is like to be: for if those that sinne openly, were rebuked openly, others would feare, 1. Tim. 5. 20.
Secondly, we allow also priuate confession of man to man, in two cases:2.
First, in priuate iniuries betweene man and man: for by our sinnes wee may also wrong men, as Dauid did Vriah; 1.and here it will be meete to come and confesse our fault to the party wronged, to testifie: First, our repentance: Secondly, our sound reconciliation. This is intended by the speech of Christ, Luk. 17. 4. If thy brother trespasse against thee seuen times a day, and hee come and say, It repents mee, thou shalt for giuegive him. Yea, God himselfe sends Abimilech to Abraham, whom he had vnwittingly wronged and offended, to reconcile himselfe to him, Gen. 20 7.that hee might obtaine Abrahams prayers: So likewise hee sent Iobs friends, hauing wronged him, to Iob, to confesse their fault, and get him to intreat of Gods peace Iob 41. 8.for them.
Secondly, in trouble of conscience, to finde peace, it is fit to vse the helpe of some speciall man, minister or other, and being a man of wisedome, gifts, and secresie, to confesse to him both the trouble of conscience, and the cause of the griefe: Of this the Apostle Iames saith, Confesse one to another, & pray one for another. Now in this case, Iam. 5. 16.although the Minister should bee the fittest man, as hauing a learned tongue and studied in the cases of conscience, to minister vntounto a wearie soule a word of comfort inseason, and hath speciall promise to be heard, as being a minister of reconciliation betweene God and his people; and it is not for nothing, that the Lord vseth this reason to Abimelech, Goe to ABRAHAM, for hee is a Prophet: Yet that place shewes, that the troubled conscience is not to be tyed to one person, nor to a Priest, but to bee performed also to priuate Christians.
Hence wee may see, how farre all this differeth from 1. Difference of Christian confession from Popish and Auricular.Popish Auricular Confession: For, first, we hold it not a matter of absolute necessitie, to confesse vntounto men, as they doe; but that there be cases, wherein it may be conuenient or necessarie. Secondly, we vrge not confession of all sinnes, with all the circumstances to bee necessarie, 2.yea, the very thoughts and intentions of the heart; which is
First, the rack and gibbet of consciences, and no easer.
Secondly, it is fit for such as would know all the secrets of States, Kings, and Kingdomes: all a Kings reuenue cannot maintaine so many intelligencers, as make knowne so much to the Pope, as this common leager of confession, in all States, and Courts, and Houses, yea, bosomes of men and women.
Thirdly, it is a fit meanes to know the disposition of all persons, by which they know where to hauehave fit agents for their villanies, fit Patients for their lusts, resolute Catholikes to stab Kings, and blow vp Parliament houses: But wee leaue it free, and to be onelyonly of those sinnes, which most trouble the conscience, and hinder the peace of the soule.
Thirdly, we inioyne it not at set times, as once a yeere 3.at Easter, but onelyonly when the fore-named occasions are offered.
Fourthly, we say it may be made, not to a Priest onelyonly 4.or Fryar, and their owne Parish Priest; but, if the Minister be a fit man, then to him; and, if hee be not, then to some other Minister, or in the defect of such a one, then to some ordinarie faithfull Christian, to whom hee may discouer his trouble, with the cause of it.
And if all this be so, that confession must be made to Use 1.God: then consider before thou sinne, that thou must go backe to God againe, after thy departure from him by sinne: the Prodigall goes from his Father, but hee must come backe againe; if there be a going from God, there must be a returning to him; if thou hide thy sinne, thou must againe vncouer it.
Secondly, if sinne must be confessed vntounto God, then doe it sincerely as before God. In all things, the heart Vse 2.and tongue ought to agree, because the Lord made the one, to expresse the other; and so our Prophet in this confession suffered not his tongue to runne before his foreign.wits, but hee thought hee would confesse, and confessed: so in all the parts of Gods worship, the first thing respected is the heart; whereas contrarily many in confession, publike or priuate, hauehave one thing in their mouth, another in their heart.
Againe, thou sinnest before God, before his face, in his sight, the Lord looking on, and standing by; there is nothing which is not naked to his eyes, no darknesse nor night can couer thee, for that is as day to him, with whom is no darknesse: and therefore it is a bootlesse thing to seeke to hide thy sinne from him, hee heard thee lye, sweare, and forsweare; hee saw thee drunken, and committing vncleannesse; thou couldst not flye from his Spirit, his fierie eyes did looke on thee, himselfe stood at thy elbow.
Thirdly, if thou confessest vntounto God, then in confession euer set thy selfe before God, and this will season it Vse 3. Necessary attendants of Confession. Rom. 6. 21.with necessarie qualities: as first, thou wilt bring shame in thy face, and an holy blushing, as it is said, What fruit hauehave ye of those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? And it is hollownesse and impudencie to offer to confesse foule sinnes, without blushing and shame before God. Oh, said the holy man Ezra, I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vntounto thee: A good heart, seeing Gods eyes to be set on his nakednesse, stands agast, and ashamed in it selfe, and there is no quietnesse to it, till it bee couered with the garment of Christs righteousnesse: Ezek. 16. 61, 62, 63. Then thou shalt remember thy wayes, and be ashamed, and confounded, and neuer open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee, for all that thou hast done, &c. Secondly, if thou settest thy selfe before God in confession, it will breed anguish and sorrow of spirit, for that sinne which is confessed, as the conuerts, Act. 2. 37. were pricked in their hearts in conscience of their sinnes; there will be inward griefe for offending a good God, and grieuing his good Spirit.
Thirdly, it will bring in a purpose to leaue and forsake that sinne which is confessed, and all other. Can a man, setting himselfe before God, confesse that sinne which he purposeth to liue in and hold and not forsake? this is but to aske leaue to sinne.
Nay, the setting of a mans selfe before God, wil bring in a resolution to renounce all sinne, as Hos. 14. 9. Ephraim shall say, What hauehave I more to doe with Idols?
Fourthly, it will bring in a secret, but most earnest desire of forgiuenesse, for it cannot but consider in God: First, the Maiestie offended: Secondly, the danger of his wrath, which is a consuming fire, and an execution of all the plagues written in the booke of the Law: and thirdly, the riches of his merciemercy, in prouiding so precious a meanes of redemption, which neither man nor Angell could once thinke of, 1. Pet. 1. 18.
Fiftly, it breeds a reforming of that which is amisse, and an healing of the error, as Zacheus did, Luke 19. 8. Lord, halfe my goods I giuegive to the poore: according to the counsell of Samuel 1. 7. 3. If ye be come againe to the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods frō among you.
Sixtly, it breeds an holy feare for time to come, because it beholds Gods eye vponupon eueryevery sinne, his anger on eueryevery one, till by the bloud of Christ he be appeased, his merciemercy in forgiuing, that he may be feared; and this feare abates the rage of sinne: nay, it will feare the occasion, and hate the appearance of euill, 1. Thes. 5. 22. and the garment spotted with the flesh, Iude 23.
Seuenthly, there is a mourning and complaining vnderunder the burden and bondage of sinne: Oh, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death! saith Paul: and Isa. 63. 17. O Lord, why hast thou made vsus to erre from thy wayes, and hardned our heart from thy feare?
Eighthly, there is great desire, 2. Cor. 7. 11. namely, a longing to satisfie Paul and the rest of the members of the Church, with desire to be restored to their fauours and fellowship.
Ninthly, Confession to men: For duties of Pietie and Charitie must goe together, or else all is abominable, as appeares, Ier. 7. 9. 10. Will ye steale, murder, and commit adultery, and sweare falsely, and burne incense vntounto Baal, and walke after other gods whom ye know not; and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say; We are deliuered, though we hauehave done all these abominations? So Isay 1. 11. What hauehave I to do with your sacrifices? &c. for your hands are full of blood, verse. 15.
Against my selfe.] This is the second branch of the manner of Dauids confession, hee will confesse against himselfe. Hence note, that He that will truely and soundly Doctr.confesse his sinne, must become his owne vtter enemie, he must A true confessor must be his owne vtter enemy.set himselfe against himselfe as much as possibly he can. So did DAVID here, hee shamed himselfe to all posteritie, and spared not his owne name, though a King, so GOD might hauehave the praise of his merciemercy, and the Church the benefit of his example.
Iob 42. 6. When Iob was reproued for his inconsiderate words, he brake out at last into this speech, I abhor my selfe, and repent my selfe in dust and ashes. He is a great enemie, that hates man; but farre greater, that abhors him: yet so was Iob to himselfe. Daniel in his prayer saith, I am confounded and ashamed to looke vp to heauen, shame and confusion of face belongs vntounto vsus this day, Dan. 9. 5. &c. So close doth he follow the matter against himselfe. 1. Tim. 6. 13, 15. Saint Paul rippeth vp his owne grieuous sinnes, in such sort as his greatest enemy could not hauehave spoken more against him, then he spake against himselfe. Hee was not contented to call himselfe a vile person, but (as though he had said too little) he adds that he is the chiefest of all sinners. Who could more accuse the poore Publican then he did himselfe? Oh, I am not worthy to lift vp mine eyes to heauen, Luc. 18. 13. and the Prodigall Son, I am not worthy to be called thy Son, Luc. 15. 18, 19.
And good reason it should be so: for
First, sound confession is called a iudging of our selues, Reason. 1.1. Cor. 11. 31. Now in the course of iudgement, there are foure things, all against the partie to be iudged: First, arraignement; and this in confession is, when wee present and summon our selues before the barre of Gods iustice: Secondly, examination; and this is, when wee narrowly inquire of our selues what wee hauehave done: wherein as the Kings Atturney sifteth out, and exaggerateth eueryevery circumstance of the crime against a Traytor, to make it seeme as odious as may be; so should we sift out eueryevery circumstance of our sinne, to make it as vile to our owne eyes as may be, so as our hearts may be conuinced: Thirdly, conuiction or pleading guiltie, and confession; & that is, when with the penitent Thiefe, our soules can say, We are righteously here, and iustly laid vnderunder Gods indignation, worthy to be cast into Hell. And neuer was he truely humbled, that is, more ashamed to confesse sinne, then to commit it: Fourthly, there is an execution and holy reuenge, 2. Cor. 7. 11. and this is, when we beate downe our bodies, and mortifie our members, and vndertake good duties, that the like occasions may be preuented for afterward. These parts of an enemy doth eueryevery humbled soule take vp against it selfe, when it iudgeth it selfe before God; and who can be a greater enemie to himselfe, then he that doth so?
Secondly, it is an essentiall difference betweene the 2.sound confessions of the godly, and the slubberd confessions of the wicked; the godly renounce themselues and their sinnes, but hypocrites doe not, they neuer learned the first lesson of Christianitie, which is selfe-denial, their mindes are set vponupon euill workes, and therefore how can they be against them? They repent not but with a repentance to be repented of.
Thirdly, all the accusers and enemies, that the child of God hath, if they be put together, cannot obiect halfe 3.so much against him, as hee can against himselfe; men may speake much, but not so much as himselfe. And therefore if he deale truely betweene God and himselfe, he will so shame himselfe, as all his enemies cannot. And for this end, God hath seated the conscience in the middle of the soule, as a Iudge of the actions, and hath giuen it an eye, to pry into the secrets of the heart, and cleared this eye in the regenerate, to discerne more euidently the owne estate, & giuen it a voice to follow the sinner with hue and cry, to make him pronounce the sentence of guiltinesse and death against himselfe; and all this is to iustifie God in any iudgement he brings vponupon vsus, and to glorifie him when he brings vsus out by any deliuerance: But as for the wicked, the eye of conscience in them is dazeled, or quite put out, and lets them goe on to their condemnation.
Fourthly, a godly man must become his owne greatest 4.enemie in confession of sinne, because grace must carry a man further then nature can doe: nature can make a man hate sinne, but other mens rather then his owne, Gen. 38. 24. Iudah thought whoredome worthy of burning (as it was the custome in those dayes,) in his daughter in law Thamar, but not in himselfe; when the tokens he had left with her were brought forth, then hee could confesse she was more righteous then he, then away with burning; whereas, if shee were worthy to be burnt, then much more he. But grace looketh rather vponupon a mans owne sinnes, then anothers, accounting them more venemous, poysonfull, odious, and hate-worthy then anothers. We hate all Serpents deadly, yet not so much those in another countrey, as these in our owne, nor one that is ten foot off, as that that is hard by; the neerer he is, the greater is our antipathie and hatred against him. Now seeing eueryevery sinne is a Serpent, therefore we must hate eueryevery one, but that more especially which is neerest and vponupon our hands, as the Viper vponupon Pauls, to shake it off as he did.
To come now to the Vses:
First, this lets vsus see what is the nature of sinne, whatsoeuer Use 1.men conceiue of it; they thinke not of it as of sinne, if it hauehave either profit or pleasure with it, but hold and hugge it as a sweet morsell vnderunder their tongue, they conceiue a great sweetnesse in it; whereas indeede it makes a man his owne greatest enemy. If hee neuer repent, it is an intolerable euill; but if hee doe repent, he sees that the sweetnesse of it is bitter inough, such as makes him say, that the pleasure of sinne is very deare, and bought at too high a rate.
A man can bewayle any outward commoditie being lost, and say as Iaacob did, I hauehave lost this and this child, all these things make against me; So, I hauehave lost such and such commoditie, all these make against me: but, where is the man that can say, Loe my sinnes, these are they that make against mee? But let the wise bee perswaded neuer to thinke of sinne as of a friend, to fall into too familiar acquaintance with it, but know that it is such an enemy, as thy selfe must bee thine owne greatest enemy for it, or else God will.
Secondly, must a man set himselfe against himselfe Use 2.in his confessions? then this taxeth the practice of many men:
First, of sundry, who will neither deny their sinnes, nor yet confesse them. They wil not deny them for shame, because it is against their knowledge & conscience; they should seeme to pull the Sunne out of heauen, and deny the light of Nature, if they should say they do not sinne; and as for confession, they will confesse none, though neuer so sinfully done, they deale gently with them, and are loth to fall out with their friends; faults they will confesse them and ouersights, and infirmities which eueryevery man hath, sinnes of weaknesse, though indeede of wickednesse, such as are done by the strength of corruption neuer resisted.
Thus through ancient acquaintance they cannot leaue them, they looke so amiable and louely, thus they flatter themselues in sinne: but if euer such come to be reconciled to God againe, they must put on another person, and deale in earnest against them, before they can see God friendly in the pardon of them, they must call a spade a spade, that is, confesse sinne to be such as indeed it is; If the question be: what is the vilest thing in the world? The answere must be, These sins; and, Who is the vilest person liuing, the answere may & must be, Themselues.
Secondly, others hauehave set colours on their sinnes, that they might neuer see the hatefull and ougly face of 2.them: as
First, anger and hastinesse, when a man is all on a sudden flame, and burnes all about him, for no iust cause; What will he say? Why, it is but spirit, or at worst heat of nature, and he cannot do withall, it is soone past & ouer. Well, an enemy to his sinne would conclude it to be spirit indeede, but an euill one, and an heate which is kindled from the fire of Hell.
Secondly, excessiue pride, though men out-runne their degrees, and out-weare all fashions, in attiring themselues most immodestly, so that a man may read in broad letters, and great characters, the lightnes of a light mind, yet they say, it is but ornament or complement, or at worst, the fashion. An enemy now to sin would esteeme it, as indeed it is, a fashion vnbeseeming such as professe mortification, & a fashion whereof the Apostle saith, Fashion not your selues according to this world, and not maintaine them with Principles drawne out of the Diuels Catechisme.
Thirdly, prodigality is but kindnes of nature, couetousnes but frugalitie, drinkings after the maner of the Gentiles, but societie & humanitie, Impudency and complement, but good education; Luke-warmnes in religiō, but good discretion & policy: and, though Christ gaue himselfe to purchase a people zealous of good works, yet it is thought a mans praise to be no meddler, and to be zealous is counted nothing but to outrunne the bounds of godlinesse. Thus Satan had taught the world a tricke to harden mens hearts, and hinder them from sound peace and repentance.
Thirdly, others so tender their names in their publike sins (which are as manifest as a nose on a mans face, as we 3.say:) as they shrinke from shewing themselues in open confession against themselues, and that when Gods glorie, and the good of the Church, yea the peace of their owne consciences calls for confession. But farre are they from the affection of a zealous heart, which would make them turne against themselues and their sinnes, in returning to GOD. This would hauehave thought that Dauid should hauehave had more care of his credit then thus to rip vp his sinnes, but Dauid was of another minde then they.
Fourthly, those (truely so called) Puritanes and Catharists that need not repentance, being whole men, in full conformitie with the image of GOD, so deifyed, that they cannot sinne. These are to bee branded with that odious name of Puritanes, and not they that confesse their sinnes, and labour to preuent them for time to come. And Papists rather are true Puritans, who say they fulfill the Law, and need not say, Forgiue vsus our debts, because GOD is rather indebted vntounto them by their workes of supererogation: let men lay the vile reproch of Puritanisme (which is an heresie) vponupon these, rather then the godly not deseruing it.
Thirdly, this is a ground of instruction, how to carry Vse 3.our selues towards them that are afflicted in soule, and soundly humbled, that we aggrauate not their sinnes, or the danger of their estate, but rather comfort them, seeing they can and doe speake more basely, and thinke more vilely of themselues then we can doe. It is the part of a miserable comforter to adde sorrow to the afflicted. Old Eli should hauehave had more compassion on Annah, and not hauehave beene so inconsiderate as to say shee was drunken: Oh my Lord (said she) I am not drunken, but my soule is troubled within mee, 1. Sam. 1. 16. It was the fault of Iobs friends, that in stead of comfort, they went about to proue him an hypocrite; Of such the Church complaineth in the Canticles, Thus I was wounded in the house of my friends. If Gods childrens estate be alreadie heauy, they lay it heauier on them: But, blessed is he that wisely iudgeth the poore.
Fourthly, seeing in confession of sinne a man should become his owne greatest enemie, we must conscionably Vse. 4.vse the meanes to become our owne enemies, not the enemies Quest.of our bodies, but of our owne body of sinne. Answ. 1And what are these meanes.
These:Meanes of sound hatred of our owne sinnes.
First, let vsus search and sift our selues, our estates and wayes. Zeph. 2. 1. Fanne your selues, fanne your selues, O Nation not worthy to be loued. Lam. 3. 40. Let vsus search and try our wayes, and turne againe vntounto the Lord. Let vsus carry lights into our soules, to see the secrets of them. Ier. 3. 13. Know thine iniquitie: How? by the Law of God, whereby foreign. Arist. l. 1. de anim. c. vlt.commeth knowledge of sinne: the more insight into the Law, the more sight of sinne & miserie: being right it selfe it is index sui & obliqui, shewing vsus what to do, and what is done amisse. See Ier. 6. 8.
Secondly, let vsus take knowledge of the rottennesse 2.and corruptnesse of our nature: for if wee could see our nature aright, we should finde iust cause enough to hate our selues, it being a stinking sinke, a filthy puddle, and an impure fountaine that sends forth muddy streames, a bitter roote sending out odious fruit, such as whereby we shew our selues enemies to God and righteousnesse, hauing the spawne of all sinne in our hearts.
Thirdly, meditate on the greatnesse of sinne, examine 3.in what degree and circumstances thou hast sinned, and, as thou hast risen in the degrees of sinne, so rise accordingly in the degrees of humiliation and hatred of them, and of thy selfe for them. A low degree of humiliation will not serue Dauid and Manasseh, when their sinnes are in high degrees.
Fourthly, let vsus looke vponupon our sinnes in the numberlesse 4.kindes of them, in the fountaine and streames of them, in wandring thoughts, idle words, and prophane hurtfull actions; sinnes by omission of good, and commission of euill; sinnes of knowledge and presumption or of ignorance, Psal. 19. 12. for many sinnes we know not, which we must giuegive vp to the Lord to bee searched by him, and by his mercy either to be brought to our remembrance, or graciously passed by; sinnes of youth, or past, to repent vsus of them; and of age, either present, to grone vnderunder them, or future, to feare and preuent. In regard hereof say, Lord, who knoweth the errours of this life? they are in number as the haires of our head.
Fiftly, let vsus labour to see the danger of our sinnes: for he that sees an euill, will be the more carefull to preuent 5.the danger of it.
First, see the danger of sinne in the infinite Maiestie Wherein the danger of sin consists: sixe things.of God offended, for he will set himselfe stubbornely against all offenders, that hauehave not set themselues against themselues, in regard of their sinnes, and put forth his wrath in flaming fire, to render vengeance vponupon the disobedient.
Secondly, in trampling vnderunder foote the blood of the Couenant, as an vnholy thing: God sent his onelyonly Son 2.Christ Iesus from heauen to take our nature vponupon him, and to shed his blood for vsus, and yet in sinning we tread it vnderunder foote: what a dangerous thing is this? See Heb. 10. 29.
Thirdly, in quenching the motions of Gods good Spirit, who hath often striuen with vsus in the ministerie, 3.and betrusted vsus with his gifts and graces; Ephes. 4. 30. 1. Thes. 5. 19.
Fourthly, in staining our honourable profession, which we should rather hauehave adorned and beautified, as though 4.other men would not debase our profession enough, vnlesse we doe too. We should walke worthy of our high Calling, 1. Thes. 2. 12. and in holinesse, whereunto we are called, chap. 4. 7. being Saints by calling, 1. Cor. 1. 2. and ought to bee holy, as hee which hath called vsus, is holy, 1. Pet. 1. 15. What a shame is it to infringe so excellent priuiledges?
Fiftly, in repetition of sinne, when wee commit the same sinne againe & againe, eueryevery yeere, monethmonth, weeke 5.and day, yea eueryevery moment of the day. Better had it been for vsus to hauehave been Gentiles and Painims, who neuer knew the trueth, then to heare sinne reprooued, and yet rush presumptuously into it, and after repentance to wallow againe in the mire; See 2. Pet. 2. 21, 22. it is a pittifull and lamentable thing, that a man should wash himselfe from sinne by repentance, and then go and pull Gods vengeance vponupon him againe by tumbling himselfe in them.
Sixthly, and lastly, the danger of sinne is great, because 6 Sinnes against many meanes.wee hauehave sinned against such great meanes of sanctification, as namely, first, against our vowes, made in baptisme, and renued in the supper, or which wee hauehave made of our selues vponupon certaine occasions, that wee would doe such or such things no more: all these wee hauehave kept very slenderly, or not at all, whereas ciuill honestie requires performance of a promise, made to man: and is it nothing not to keep touch with God, who hath commanded vsus to keepe touch with men? Remember the precept, Eccles. 5. 3.
Secondly, against the light and checkes of conscience, and is this nothing? Christ saith, This is the condemnation of the world, that light is come into the world, and men louelove darknesse more then the light: Rom. 1. 18, 21. Wee reade, that God plagued the Gentiles for neglecting the means of knowledge by the creatures; how much more will he punish vsus, that professe the light of grace, and yet spurne against it, as if we were still in the night of darkenesse? how many among vsus liue in a number of sinnes more odiously, then did many of the Gentiles, who could liue somewhat ciuilly and honestly, in respect of our outragious enormities?
Thirdly, against many of Gods corrections, both in our selues, and in others: when a childe receiues no good by correction, we thinke his parents wil goe neere to thrust him out of doores; so is it betweene God and vsus. See an excellent place, Dan. 5. 18. to 29. Because we are no whit benefited by other mens chastizements, the sentence is not far off, but is alreadie pronounced against vsus, We are weighed in the ballance, and found too light.
Fourthly, against the great mercies of God: this doubles the sinne in Gods sight: 2. Sam. 12. 7. to 13. the Prophet Nathan exaggerates Dauids sinne, by shewing him the particular benefits, wherein God had remembred him, and concludeth; the greater Gods louelove was, the greater was his ingratitude and forgetfulnesse.
What a number of mercies hauehave we in this one, that the glorious light of grace shineth so bright vponupon vsus in the Ministery, whereby we may be put in minde of Gods exceeding louelove, and what he deserues at our hands, and what are our sinnes against him, which giuegive him iust occasion to remooue his blessings from vsus? Let vsus looke to it; if we doe not vse these large blessings conscionably, our sinne will be so much the more heauy in the punishment. Let vsus confesse our sinnes, and vnthankfulnes especially, and in our confessions, become enemies to our selues, (for wee see true confessions are to bee thus qualified) and that by these meanes prescribed, which may helpe vsus thereunto.